USA > Nebraska > Dixon County > History of Dixon County, Nebraska > Part 21
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Animated by this hope, he set to work after the shaft had been abandoned by the others. and determined to make a thorough examination of it. As he descended to the bottom
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of the shaft, 85 feet, he carefully examined its sides, (the last forty feet of which were in a rock formation) and he dis- covered a long. narrow seam extending from the bottom up- ward a distance of twenty-five feet or more, through which had escaped the water referred to. Near the bottom of the shaft he was enabled by a miner's pick to easily enlarge the crevice to the distance of a few feet, the rock being soft and porous, and to his joy he saw the seam had widened to such an extent that no further labor was required to pass through it. The direction of the crevice was northeasterly and descended at an angle of about 50 degrees.
Carefully groping his way along in the dim light of a miner's lamp, he had entered the passage not to exceed two hundred yards when his route turned sharply to the left and a most startling scene met his gaze. He saw a vast cavern beneath, through the roof of which opened the crevice he had followed. This subterranean world was pervaded by a weird and ghostly light coming from whence he knew not but the cause of which he afterwards ascertained.
The roof of the cavern was supported by an innumerable number of what appeared to be immense stone columns of great diameter at the base. He noticed that these columns were not stalactites, which, as one may say, start from the roof and grow downward: but were larger at the floor and be- came smaller as they ascended. In this as well as in other respects, they resembled trees; thus, frequently a column at the height of a few hundred feet became divided into many smaller branches, and would finally be lost in what a slight stretch of imagination would picture as an ocean of foliage, now, however, by the process of petrifaction. turned to stone. and forming the roof of the cavern.
On descending to the floor of the cavern, which he easily did by means of the petrified foliage. he found that the mas- sive columns were, indeed. fossil trees, probably the lepidod- rendra and the sigillaria, which are often found in coal forma- tions, and were gigantic in size, from 500 to 800 feet high, and most prolific in foliage. Hence he concluded that he was in an ancient petrified forest, and he naturally inquired how it was possible that this vast primeval growth of enor- mous trees and magnificent foliage could have been thus buried so far below the visible world, and by what freak,
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nature had planted and sustained upon their tops the rocks and hills of Dixon County.
From these reflections, coupled with the knowledge of the assertions of geologists as to the different formations of this country, he came to a conclusion, which, although in some respects at variance with geological theories, is prob- ably the only one by which the phenomena can be accounted for. His opinion was that ages ago when this immense forest grew and flourished, the floor of the cavern was the surface of the earth. That the great inundation spoken of by geologists as having occurred during or shortly after the carboniferous period, covered the forest to the topmost branches, and that this beautiful and fertile country was overwhelmed by a great inland sea, sweeping down from the north with vast force. and bearing upon the surface of its rapid current. great masses of ice, earth and even rocks. which. finding a small lodgment at first upon the top of the forest, was added to year by year during the countless ages of the flood's continuance. until where once was a wide waste of water, the fair hills and valleys of Dixon County, rose in all their beauty like Venus from the foam of the ocean. But the foundation beneath was sound and secure, the same power that planted 600 feet of rocks and earth upon its top, transformed the forest and its foliage into the hardest flint, upon which a much greater weight could rest with safety. Then when the flood passed away. it left the ancient forest as Professor Perrigone now found it.
From this theory he deduced other conclusions. viz: = this were once a forest. he would find within it the petrifica- tions of the ancient gigantic animals which made it their home. Should he not find them, too, as perfect in their pre- servation as were the trees and plants about him? Ani- mated by these thoughts, he resolved to explore the cavern to the utmost. To determine his exact direction he exam- ined his pocket compass, but to his annoyance he found that the needle would no longer work with precision, and he was led to believe that large beds of iron ore were in that vicinity. The compass being no longer a safe guide it was necessary to move with caution. lest he lose himself in the vast solitudes and never be able to make his way ont to the
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upper world. Therefore, critically observing his where- abouts as he proceeded. he moved slowly forward. As he ad- vanced, the light, which he had noticed at first, became more and more brilliant and he had accomplished 4,000 paces (about two miles), when the scene was lit up as by a noon-day sun.
In the meanwhile he noticed many other proofs that this was an ancient forest. Clumps of smaller trees, bushes. vines, etc., were seen in all directions, and he could hardly realize that they were petrifications, so natural and perfect did they appear. The ground (or rather rock), upon which he walked, was nearly level, yet he was greatly annoyed by the broad leaved petrified grass, which ran up like so many sword blades, and rendered his journey not only difficult, but extremely dangerous. The grass upon which the Mammoths, Mastodons, Dinothera and other monsters of old had pastur- ed, would not naturally be of a rank growth in a dense forest like this, yet he noticed many of the stalks were fif- teen to twenty feet high.
As he struggled slowly forward through the stony net- work of vines and tangled grasses, he fortunately came to what seemed to have been a broad and well defined path. on which he found he could travel with comfort and safety, and which in the prehistoric ages had doubtless been the tramp- ing ground of the denizens of the forest. In this path he noticed several footprints, unlike anything he had ever seen before, some of them of a very great size. One of them, es- pecially, was so exceedingly large that he measured it, and found its diameter to be a little over four feet. The steps of this old prehistoric king were about thirty-seven feet apart.
A little further on a very interesting sight met his gaze. Over a clump of small trees or bushes, which did not exceed 125 feet in height, a mass of vines had grown. Upon these he saw vast numbers of berries of a beautiful red color, which, mingled with the dark green of the leaves, presented a very attractive appearance. These berries were from ten inches to two feet in diameter, and the leaves from six to eight feet long, and about half that in width. Very tiny specimens indeed. of the age of gigantic vegetation. So per- fect did this charming bower of vines appear. that at first he was almost constrained to believe that here was something
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which had escaped the general curse of fossilization. £
Upon one of the berries which had fallen to the ground, he noticed a petrified worm about twenty inches long, whose depreda- tions on this particular berry had, a million years ago, caused it to fall before its time.
More closely viewing this natural arbor of fruits and vines he saw upon one of the branches, a bird, which in many respects, resembled a gigantic pigeon; round smooth head, short but broad wings, and in color a dark blue, and which in its day was doubtless deemed a beautiful and peaceable songster. Its height was about five feet.
A little way below this bird, was another winged denizen of the forest. Its body was small, not to exceed six feet in length. but it had a head nearly as long and as large as its body. Its powerful jaws, filled with long sharp teeth. gave it a most forbidding aspect. It had four feet and broad membranous wings, from which the professor concluded that this was the terrible and ferocious winged reptile of the Tertiary period, known as the Pterodactyl, the fossil remains of one of which he had seen in Chicago, and this there- fore he readily recognized. This cruel reptile had evidently been laying in wait for the bird over his head with intent to devour it. when the flood sweeping down had destroyed both, and turned them and all their surroundings to imper- ishable stone.
Having sufficiently viewed these relics of a buried age. the professor passed onward. following the old beaten path as before. He was now about two miles from the place of entrance. As he advanced, he noticed directly before him what he at first supposed to be a lofty mound. He ap- proached it. feeling assured that here was some new wonder. nor was he mistaken. Before him was the monarch of the forest, the same old Mastodon or Dinotherium, whose tracks had hitherto excited his attention. In shape. the monster somewhat resembled an elephant; it was built heavily and clumsily, but instead of two tusks it had four, and its month was armed with formidable teeth, from two to three feet long. In length it measured about 90 feet, its breadth 34 feet, and its height when standing must have been not less than 60 feet. Its trunk. 35 feet in length, measured 12 feet in diameter at its base, and tapered gradually to its end.
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The tusks were from 18 to 20 feet long. The eyes of this monster, three feet across, seemed to scan their visitor with such an appalling glare, that all his fortitude and philosophy were required to restrain him from turning and fleeing from the fearful presence.
Moving forward, the professor soon found himself upon the bank of a narrow, subterranean river. In the distance. and at a point inaccessible to him, a broad sheet of water fell with a deafening roar from the roof into the river below.
He was here enabled to ascertain the cause of the bril- liant illumination of the cavern. High up in the roof and apparently not far from the source of the stream, was a fracture, through which rays of sunlight, reflected from the rocks above, were thrown with great brilliancy upon the waterfall, which thus blazed like a great curtain of fire. How the light could be thrown down such a distance and produce a result of such remarkable brillianey. he was at a loss to comprehend. Yet of such being the fact, he had optical evidence.
As he was meditating on this and on the other wonders he had that day seen, he noticed that the waterfall was becoming more and more dim, and in a short time the light totally disappeared. leaving him with but his lamp to illumi- nate the solitude. Looking at his watch. he saw that it was sundown, and being very tired. he camped upon the bank of the river for the night.
At six o'clock the next morning. he noticed a faint light npon the waterfall, indicating the first blush of dawn in the world above. In a short time the light increased, until at 8 o'clock the waterfall gleamed as brightly as the day before. Then he arose, ate breakfast and drank from the river, and pursued his investigations.
Wandering along the bank, he noticed a little thicket a few paces back, through the matted foliage of which he dis- covered another remarkable petrifaction. It was a huge animal, resembling a sloth. only vastly larger. Its length was 24 feet and was about 14 feet high. It had a large body and strong legs; its head was round or nearly so, and in its solid jaws were planted a double row of massive teeth. It had four legs, and on its feet were three immensely long and powerful claws or fingers. A broad tail, resembling in shape
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an oar blade, but of amazing length, swept the ground for 15 or 20 paces. The appearance of this huge beast indicated that it was not carnivorous, but was designed to make its home among the branches of the trees, the bark and leaves of which furnished it food. The professor concluded. and doubtless correctly. that this was the ancient Megathe- rium, whose gigantic fossil remains are often found in the Tertiary period of the Mamallion age.
A little further, he came to what resembled a turtle. It had an oblong flattish body, was about ten feet long and stood some five or six feet high. It was covered with scales and was equally at home on land or in water. It had eyes of most malignant expression, and teeth which when it lived would have made it a very unpleasant acquaintance.
Pursuing his investigations down the river, the professor next came to where several enormous reptiles had been caught by the flood and all destroyed while in the very act of a desperate battle. He counted three of these formidable carnivorous animals, two of which were plesiosaura and seemed to have been united in giving battle to the third, an ichthyosaurus of an amazing size. All of them were lizard like in shape. the ichthyosaurus was, however, three or four
times as large as the plesiosaurus. The ichthyosaurus was in length about 60 paces, or about 180 feet. and in all its pro- portions was the most enormous of anything he had yet seen. The jaws of this monster, 60 feet in length, and armed with a fearful array of powerful fangs, would. when expand- ed. have compassed and erushed within them at one gulp half the buildings of Ponca. In this battle with his more feeble adversaries, he was evidently on the offensive. The necks of the plesiosaurans he held crushed in his jaws, and there, mangled and dying, these reptiles had in their agonies. torn up the earth as by the shock of an earthquake.
From the scene of this fearful conflict. the professor now found another path leading back into the forest. As he re- resumed his walk he could not forbear reflecting on the littleness and insignificance, not only of mankind but of all things now living, animal and vegetable. when compared with the tremendous creations surrounding him. The tiny flowering plants of the upper earth, were magnified a thous- and fold. The insignificant tadpole species, here became
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salamandroids, with round bodies six feet in diameter, while in place of the harmless lizard he beheld what he recognized as the magalosaurus and iguanodon, 60 to 90 feet long. and whose powerful tails would at one sweep overthrow the largest trees and rocks of our day.
In an open glade he saw collected a number of enormous beasts and reptiles, the names of which he found no difficulty in determining. Among them. he recognized the dinotherium, an animal whose height was thirty feet. while its body was three times that in length. with a girth of least eighty feet. The ferocious aspect of this monstrosity of nature, the malignant and baleful glare of its eyes, its tusks, sharp as swords and of such an amazing length that sixty feet could be measured between their points, and more than all, the vast strength displayed in its trunk, fifty feet long and thirty feet around it at the base --- made a spectacle which would have struck terror to a heart less stout than that of Prof. Perrigone.
The lifelike appearance of the different petrifactions was startling, and could hardly be accounted for by any known laws of nature. The color, the hair, even the expressions of countenance, were so perfect, that one could with difficulty believe that these animals only existed a long series of ages ago.
Near by, the professor also saw the paleotherium. another immensely large and strong beast. the progenitor in remote ages of the hippopotamus and rhinoceros, and even, as is claimed by some. of the tapir and hog, but unlike them in its extraordinary size, being eighteen feet high when standing erect, with a body proportionately large and of a length not less than forty feet. Here, also, were several species of the saurian tribe. and to the left, were a group of horned serpents and winged frogs. One of the latter. measured by the pro- fessor, was found to be thirteen and one-half feet high. Pursuing his way, the professor next entered a portion of the forest which seemed to combine the brilliant splendors of the tropics with a grandeur and magnificence, rarely to be seen on the upper earth. On either hand, the towering trees were almost hidden by their luxuriant foliage and the innumera- ble vines and plants which, creeping upward by a myriad of convolutions, had woven themselves together, and overhead
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had formed a perfect arbor. Through this dense growth of vegetation, by some curious freak of nature, opened a wide avenue. As the professor walked along it, he gazed with admiration upon the choice and many colored fruits and flowers on either hand. Amid the variety of fruit he recog- nized none as belonging to this age, except the grapes, which hung in great abundance and in clusters of such size that a single one would have weighed him down. Slowly he traversed this romantic pathway, drinking in the beauty of the scene, and it was with great difficulty he could realize that all these regal splendors were but the petrifactions of existence in the earth's infancy.
After a walk of several miles through these scenes. the professor returned toward the river and at night found him- self again on the bank, where he slept on the camping ground of the night before. The next morning he deemed it proper to leave the cavern, his provisions being nearly exhausted. proposing, however, to revisit it again, and bring away, if possible, some of the fossils which there abounded. He therefore retraced his steps, regaining with some difficulty, the crevice in the rocks by which he had descended. From here, after resting himself a short time and making a final survey of the great cavern he was leaving, he started for the outer world. In the passage leading up to the shaft he noticed that the air was becoming very impure. In the lower cavern he had not been troubled by fire damp, but in this upper passage, it seemed exceedingly and dangerously prevalent. As he passed on. he saw that the air inside of the gauze covering to his lamp had taken fire. The safety lamps of coal mines. when properly constructed. can be easily regulated, and if the air takes fire within the lamp. it can be readily extinguished: but in this home-made lamp. Professor P. found it impossible to extinguish the flame. He knew that in a few minutes at least, the protecting wires would become red hot. then melt, and an explosion would oc- cur which would inevitably bring the roof down upon him and bury him alive. With horror, he hurled the lamp from him, and fled as fast as possible. So rapid were his motions that in five minutes at most. he passed from the crevice into the shaft and from thence to the upper world again. As he emerged from the shaft the roar of the explosion greeted
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his ears. He immediately examined to ascertain what dam- age, if any, had been done by the explosion, and he found that though what dirt had been thrown into the shaft could easily be taken ont again, the worst calamity resulting had been the settling of the rocks and the closing of the fissure through which he had entered, and possibly throughout its entire length. Greatly disappointed at this disastrous con- clusion of his adventures. he came up to town as stated at the commencement of this narration and made report of his discoveries.
VOLCANIC PHENOMENA.
THRILLING ADVENTURES OF A PARTY OF SCIENTISTS WHILE MAKING INVESTIGATION.
The story of Prof. Perrigoue's discoveries a few pages back, and this one about the Ionia volcano, are samples of what old settlers sometimes amused themselves with. They have all been forgotten in late years. As to the volcano, that as well as the pretty village of lonia, were long ago washed out by the Missouri, and the memory of them alone remains.
In 1876 and 1877 there was much talk and many theories in relation to the phenomena that were seen near Jonia. known as the "volcano." A great many people went there to see it, and returned home no wiser than before. They saw a burning hill which threw off intense heat and suffo- cating fumes and in the darkness of night glowed like a great bed of fire, but the cause of it was a mystery, and aside from the explanation given by Prof. Aughey, is as much of a mystery now as it was then. It is not likely there was anything about it resembling a volcano, yet some insisted that it was one, and in corroboration, claimed that occasion- ally sounds could be heard beneath the surface, and that at such times, steam would escape from the crevices, and dirt and even stones be thrown up.
Among those whose curiosity gave them a desire to visit and see the alleged volcano, were three gentlemen from Iowa, Messrs. Vance. Andrews and Brown. They came up to Ponca from Sioux City one afternoon late in the fall of '77. and the next morning employed Mr. Green of the livery
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firm of Green & Palen to take them to the scene of mystery. As the gentlemen had with them a number of scientific instruments, such as a compass and chain, several long, diamond-pointed drilling rods. a thermometer, etc., curiosity was considerably aroused as to who they were and the cause of their visit. It was said by some that they were railroad engineers; others maintained they were a party of land hunters. while others on seeing the drilling apparatus, affirmed that the strangers were prospecting for coal. A facetious surmise was, that one of them, a tall, fine looking gentleman with a slightly foreign cast of count- enance, was the Brazilian Traveler; that another, a short, energetic man. was Gen. Manager Davenport, of the C. C. & B. H. R. R .. and that the intellectual appearance of the third, denoted Prof. Jones of New York. All joking aside. however, the gentlemen really bore the commonplace names above mentioned and were not known to fame by anything remarkable. A natural diffidence about exposing to the public the object of their visit, led them to be reserved and reticent. After a trip which lasted three days the party returned from lonia and the next morning took the train for Sioux City.
Out of this little expedition to see the lonia volcano, grew various stories, and the numerous yarns, aided and added to by the imagination of the tellers, made out that the gentle- men in question had made some very important discoveries and in doing so, had passed through many exciting ad- ventures. In due time a few of these stories were collected together and boiled down and their differences harmonized as much as possible and the result was a narrative probably no more improbable than the account which Prof. Perrigoue gave of his discoveries of caves and the petrifactions of pre- historic animals.
According to the story. Messrs. Vance. Andrews and Brown, accompanied by Mr. Green had visited the volcano and explored it thoroughly, and in doing so had. indeed. pass- ed through some dangerous adventures. The account of their trip thus given was that at noon of the day they start- ed out from Ponca. they arrived at lonia. Leaving the town to their right, they in a short time reached the rough dis- triet in the neighborhood of the volcano, the close proximity
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of which was indicated by dense sulphurous fumes prevad- ing the atmosphere. The horses were now securely tied, and the party proceeded forward on foot. Approaching by means of difficult paths through a wild region, they soon stood on the summit of a lofty bluff. overlooking the river, and from which a wide extent of country was visible. In front rolled the tumultuous Missouri, across whose dirty bosom nature had commenced throwing a bridge of ice. Be- yond and about a mile away, were the low lands and dense forests of Dakota. At their right they looked down into the pleasant little valley in which nestled cosily among its shrubbery and trees, the little town of Ionia. On their left and up the river. they beheld a long range of bluffs and broken land as far as the eye could reach.
The wild grandeur of the scene, was, however, disregard- ed, as they beheld the real object of their search revealing itself by its spires of smoke, just below and immediately in front of them. Hastily scrambling down the almost perpen- dicular sides of the bluff. the party stood on the spot so well known as the Ionia volcano. Imagine an oblong tract con- taining perhaps ten acres, whose myriads of funnel shaped mouths continually emitted a murky cloud. As they went forward over the plateau, the heat was intense. Beneath their feet sparkled beds of coals, and the air laden with noxious vapors, was almost overpowering. The phenomena seemed more wonderful as night came on. What in the daylight appeared as jets of vapor, resembling smoke, were now of a bright bluish color, and as their columns ascended were variegated with brilliant flashes. It was noticed that this luminous vapor did not discharge itself uniformly. but would continue only from four to six minutes, then cease for a short interval and then commence again. It was also no- ticed that the discharges of vapor from the numerous orifices all occurred at the same time, thus indicating by their con- cert of action that their streams were all from one common reservoir. Just previous to an irruption, a low rumbling sound would be heard, accompanied by a slight trembling of the earth. All these various phenomena would in the light and noise of day hardly be noticed, but now were clearly apparent.
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